Insect repellent with sun protection factor

ABSTRACT

An insect repellent composition that includes a blend of either all natural oils or synthetic ingredients, a sunscreen vitamin F, volatile silicones to extend the effective repellent life of the spray and a film forming polymer to resist water wash off. The natural oils and extracts can include citronella and orange and the synthetics can include D-limonene and phtalic acid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to an insect repellent (either in alotion, spray, cream, gel, salve, solid stick or ointment) for humanbeings and animals, and specifically, to a topical insect repellent thatmay include sun screen and that may be made with natural oils orbotanical extracts, an additive to increase the time of repellenteffectiveness and a film forming polymer to make the lotion moreresistant to being washed off the skin with water, making thecomposition rain and sweat resistant once applied to the skin.

2. Description of Related Art

Insect repellents for human beings and domestic animals, especiallypets, are well known in the art. Historically, original insectrepellents often contain high levels of sometime toxic chemicals andwere not medically good for skill contact in human beings or pets.Outdoor environments enjoyed by humans such as tropical climates,beaches or lakes include activities in direct sunlight. Insects areoften present in these environments.

One problem with insect sprays or lotions is lack of water/sweattolerance. Sweating, rain, and swimming tend to wash off, dissolve orevaporate the repellent from the skin of the user. Several applicationsof insect spray would be required over short periods of time in order tobe effective. Another problem with insect repellents is that theireffective insect repelling time period, once applied to the skin, isrelatively short.

As stated above, many of the original insect repellents not only weretoxic to insects but to human beings too. It would be desirable toprovide an insect repellent that is not only not harmful to humans (suchas skin rashes), but that would have a positive health effect for eitherenhancing the skin of the human or helping the skin by providing forgood skin care.

Obviously it is most important for an insect repellent to ward offinsects, preferably both as to human skin and to domestic animal fursand skills. In order to accomplish other important goals such as beinghealthy for a human being or enhancing the staying power of the insectrepellent on the human skin, it is important not to reduce or cancel theefficacy of the insect repellent.

Use of natural substances in insect repellents are known in the priorart. U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,029 issued Jan. 14, 1997 describes an insectrepellent that uses coconut fatty acid for repelling biting and flyinginsects. U.S. Pat. No. 4,164,561 issued Aug. 14, 1979 describes aninsect repellent that uses synthetic elements for repelling insects.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,621,013 issued Apr. 15, 1997 describes an insectrepellent that uses a blend of primarily natural substances. None of thereferences shown in the prior art provide the scope of insect repellentcoverage provided by the present invention including the longer lastingeffectiveness of the repellent and its durability of staying on the skinin spite of a wet environment.

The present invention provides an improved insect repellent that can betopically applied as a lotion, spray, cream, gel, salve, solid stick orointment that includes the use of a blend of natural oils in combinationwith one or more vitamins, a specific insect repellent ingredient suchas phthalic acid, the use of volatile silicone to extend the skin timeefficacy to ward off insects and finally the use of a film formingpolymer which prevents the insect repellent from washing off the skineither from sweat or rain or water activities. In an alternateembodiment, a sun screen with high SPF may be added without reducing theefficacy of the repellent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An insect repellent that is healthy for the skin that includes acomposition having a blend of natural oil extracts to aid in warding offinsects, vitamin F, phthalic acid, a volatile silicone to extend theskin time efficacy of the insect repellent and a film forming polymerfor water wash off resistance making it rain and sweat resistant.

In an alternate embodiment of the invention, synthetic insect repellentingredients can be used as a blend with or in place of natural oils. Inyet another embodiment a sun protection factor (SPF) complex chemical toprovide sun screen protection is employed.

The oils or extracts used in the natural version as a blend can becitronella oil, orange oil, eucalyptus oil, eucalyptus extract,cedarwood oil, pine oil, camphor oil, lemon oil, prickly pear juice,linalool, D-limonene, geraniol, neem oil, linaloe wood oil andeucalyptol.

The volatile silicones in the composition are dimethicone orcyclomethicone. These are used to enhance or prolong the effective useof the insect warding off chemicals in the oils.

A film forming polymer is used to make the insect repellent lotion orspray adhere to the skin or fur to prevent being washed off by water,making the insect repellent rain and sweat resistant. This polymer canbe PVM/MA co-polymer or butyl ester of PVM/MA co-polymer or isopropylester of PVM/MA co-polymer. The ethyl ester of PVM/MA co-polymer ispreferred.

In an alternate embodiment, the insect repellent compounds in lieu ofbeing natural version oil extracts could be synthetics that would beused as a replacement for the natural oils discussed above. Thefollowing synthetics are used which include linalyl acetate, 1-limonene,cineole, phthalic acid or dimethyl phthalate, eugenol, and eugenylacetate.

The insect repellent can be manufactured as a lotion, spray, gel, salve,cream, solid stick or ointment for application purposes.

In the preferred embodiment, using natural oils, the materials arecombined to provide for an insect repellent that includes vitamin F anda volatile silicone to extend the shelf life of the insect repellentchemicals or natural oils and a film forming polymer on the skin toprevent the insect repellent from being washed off the skin. With theuse of the composition described herein, the product can be used forhumans, pets and livestock. It is a long lasting, very effective insectrepellent that may include sun screen to prevent skin damage from thesun.

In an alternate embodiment, a sun screen SPF complex is added. The SPFcomplex would be octyl meth oxycinnamate (7.5% by weight);benzophenone-3 (5.0% weight); octyl salicylate (3% weight). This is apreferred sunscreen complex for an SPF-30. Other SPF ingredients can beused, and different SPF values can be obtained for use with the insectrepellent.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an insectrepellent for application to the skin of a person or pet using a blendof natural or synthetic materials with the least toxicological risk andas a high efficacy over a long period of time without easily beingremoved from the skin of the user.

It is another object of this invention to provide an insect repellentand sun screen that is non-toxic for the skin of human beings and theskin and fur of animals including pets and livestock; that is efficientfor long periods of time; and that prevents sun light damage to theskin.

It is another important object of this invention to provide an insectrepellent and sun screen that does not irritate the human skin or animalskin but at the same time is perspiration resistant.

Another object of invention is to provide an insect repellent that canact against a wide variety of different types of insects from mosquitoesto flies while still maintaining the ability to be healthy for humanskin.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The overall composition of the preferred embodiment is provided with theuse of a blend of preferably natural active oils and extracts selectedfrom the following group:

Natural Oils

The blend is comprised of equal parts of each natural oil listed(approximately 7 palls each per hundred parts for the 14 oils listed):

citronella oil, orange oil, eucalyptus oil or eucalyptus extract,cedarwood oil, pine oil, camphor oil, lemon oil, prickly pear juice,linalool, D-limonene, geraniol, neem oil, linaloe wood oil, andeucalyptol. These natural oils are blended together to constitute theoil portion and insect repellent portion in the preferred embodiment.The oil blend does not have to include all 14 oils but should have atleast 7 oils listed. These oils can be mixed in various combinations forrepelling certain insects.

The active natural oils can be employed in weight ratios of 10 percentto 30 percent of the total weight. Preferably fifteen to twenty-fivepercent and most preferably about 20 percent by weight of the total.

EXAMPLE NO. 1 Includes SPF-30 Sun Screen

20% by weight of a natural oil blend comprising:

citronella oil at 50 parts

eucalyptus at 12.5 parts

prickly pear at 12.5 parts

D-limonene at 12.5 parts

Cedarwood oil at 12.5 parts

40% by weight of SD alcohol

19.2% by weight cyclomethicone

7.5% by weight of octyl methoxycinnamate

5% by weight of benzophenone-3

3.0% by weight of octyl salicylate

2% by weight of PBM/MA co-polymer

2% by weight of polysorbate-20

0.50% by weight fragrance

0.25% by weight orange oil

0.25% by weight vitamin-E

0.3% by weight aloe extract

The Example No. 1 preferred embodiment uses the natural oils andextracts as the insect repellent. The SPF stun screen complex chemicalscomprise the octyl methoxycinnamate, benzophenone-3 and the octylsalicylate. The SPF complex components can be different, but these arepreferred. The SD-alcohol acts as a carrier and base for the entirecomposition for the spray version. The cyclomethicone is used a volatilesilicone to extend the life of the insect repellent oils. The PMB/MAco-polymer is used to provide a film forming polymer that makes itdifficult to wash off or sweat off the insect repellent and sun screenduring normal use out doors. The aloe and vitamin E is used as a skinconditioner and a skin protector. The SD-alcohol is a sugar derivedemulsifier and food grade alcohol that is used as a carrier complex.

To use the composition as disclosed in Example 1 as an insect spray andsun screen, the user would spray the composition on the skin of the useror on the skin or fur of an animal or possibly even on clothing to wardoff insects. The composition also functions as a sun screen that has anSPF of 30.

In an alternate embodiment a lotion can be prepared that does notinclude sun screen. The advantage of this it is a superior insect spray,it can use natural or synthetic insect repellents as active ingredientsand it includes volatile silicones for extending the effective use ofthe insect repellent components while at the same time using a polymerfor a water resistant film coating on the skin. It can also use vitaminsand skin conditioners.

EXAMPLE NO. 2 No Sunscreen

28.0% by weight of a natural insect repelling oil blend selected fromthe natural oil blend listed above under “Natural Oils.”

3.0% by weight of glycerol stearate and PEG-100 stearate.

2.0% by weight of propylene glycol.

1.0% by weight of cyclomethicone.

0.3% by weight of diazolidinylurea.

0.3% by weight of tetrasodium EDTA.

0.2% by weight of polymeric emulsifier.

0.2% by weight of methyl paraben.

0.15% by weight of triethanolamine.

0.1% by weight preservative.

0.1% by weight proplyparaben.

64.65% by weight water.

The cyclomethicone is a volatile silicone that extends the life of theinsect repelling oils. The polymeric emulsifier provides for the use ofa film forming polymer for water wash off resistance making thecomposition rain and sweat resistant.

EXAMPLE NO. 3

Replace the natural insect repelling natural oil blend which is 28.0% byweight in Example No. 2 with the following blend in equal parts of thesynthethics: linalyl acetate; L-limonene; cineole; phthalic acid ordimethyl phthalate; eugenol; and eugenyl acetate. The volatile siliconeused could be replaced also from a cyclomethicone dimethicone. Withrespect to the polymer used is can be PVM/MA co-polymer or butyl esterof PVM/MA co-polymer or isopropyl ester of PVM/MA co-polymer. The ethylester of PVM/MA co-polymer is preferred.

The synthetic oils employed should constitute ten to thirty percent byweight of the total composition. Fifteen to twenty-five percent ispreferred and about twenty percent is most preferable. The syntheticcompounds are blended in equal parts to make up the total syntheticblend used.

The insect repellent and sun spray composition or the insect repellentalone can be prepared by mixing the ingredients described above at roomtemperature and stirring the ingredients.

Thus the insect repellent in accordance with the present invention canbe all natural or can be a blend of all natural oils and extracts or canbe a blend that includes synthetic ingredients as well as all naturaloils or extracts. In the preferred embodiment the insect repellentincludes the sun screen that is preferably an SPF 30 protective forhuman and animal skin. The present invention also includes the use ofvolatile silicones that extends the life of the insect repellent oilsonce they are applied to the skin of the human or the animal. Vitaminsare also used for enhancing the skin and a film forming polymer toresist washing off making it rain and sweat resistance is employed.

In the preferred embodiment an insect repellent and sun screen that is aspray on is the preferred embodiment as discussed in Example No. 1.

The primary purpose of the invention is to keep insects away usingnatural oils. A secondary purpose is to combine an insect repellent witha sun screen.

The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what isconsidered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It isrecognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within thescope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to aperson skilled in the art.

1. (canceled)
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 5. (canceled) 6.(canceled)
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 8. An insect repellent composition comprising:a blend of linalyl acetate; L-limonene; cineole; phthalic acid ordimethyl phthalate; eugenol; and eugenyl acetate; a volatile siliconeincluding cyclomethicone dimethicone; and a polymer consisting of PVM/MAco-polymer or butyl ester of PVM/MA co-polymer or isopropyl ester ofPVM/MA co-polymer.
 9. (canceled)